Before Gabriel went to get food, he decided to find Harold Mortem. He had questions, and he suspected that Mortem had some answers. He googled the location of the offices of the quarry and headed there. It was a rather impressive two-story office building not far from the quarry site. The modern steel and glass edifice looked completely out of place in the small, sleepy mountain town. Inside was a lavish and expensively decorated lobby and a pretty, bored-looking blond secretary who was slouched in her chair picking at the split ends in her hair. "Hello," Gabriel gave her his most charming and disarming smile, "Is Mr. Mortem in?"She glanced up and then sat up straighter when she realized how handsome the large man was. “Do you have an appointment?" She asked him properly."Well no ma'am, but I'm his son Eric's teacher, and I have something very important to discuss with him." His southern drawl rolled off his tongue, causing a warm flush to color the woman’s cheeks."Oh. Oh we
“How long does it take to get some food?” Honorera grumbled. She eased out of bed and looked around the tiny cabin. She felt like she should do something to repay Mr. Shepherd for the kindness he was showing her. All this strange talk about mates and wolves...she shook her head. No, it was too much...too strange. But still, he had rescued her. She busied herself tidying up the small space. Moving and stretching her body hurt her wounds, but cleaning helped calm her frazzled nerves. She made the bed, washed the few dishes in the sink, and cleaned the bathroom. She couldn’t find the supplies to do anything more. Next, she nosed through the little kitchenette, hoping to find a snack, but there wasn't much there. She guessed Gabriel hadn't been cooking in the cabin. He must have been eating from the snack bar or buying ready-made food from the mini-mart. Maybe he even drove into Rutberg to dine in real restaurants or buy from real supermarkets. Being shut inside made her fee
It would have been so much easier if she'd been raised in the pack. If she'd heard about the mate bond from her earliest years if she'd seen the adults around her blissfully paired with their soulmates. If she'd grown up in a pack, she would have recognized the signs, she would have felt them strongly, and she would have known without a doubt that she had found her mate the day their eyes met in the classroom.But she hadn't. She'd grown up secluded not only from wolves but from other humans. He had to be patient. He had to show her slowly, but surely, that they were destined to be together. That she could relax and trust him. Only two days had passed since her uncle had attacked her. Her wounds were all completely, and almost miraculously healed. Only pink-silvery scars remained as a reminder of the brutality she’d suffered. They sat together at the little table in front of the window in Cora’s cottage, drinking bitter coffee out of paper cups. "Honorera,” he started abrup
"I look completely ridiculous," Honorera tugged at the dress that Cora had given her. Although it had been a modest dress for a slim old lady, it was too tight across her breasts, and much too long on her petite frame. "Don't worry, it's just for a couple of hours, then you'll be back in your own clothes," Gabriel said soothingly. But the dress was killing him too. The enticing cleavage being forced out the top nearly undid him. "Get in the truck, let's go." It was a forty-minute drive into Rutberg along a road that wound through the valley, and past old farmhouses and mostly defunct farms. They called Rutberg a city, but really it wasn't much more than a town that got lost in the mountains. "Where are you going?" Honorera asked as they veered left off the old highway. "The Walmart is down that way." She pointed in the other direction. "We aren't going to Walmart." "But, you said we would get clothes?” Her forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Yes." Gabriel had gotten the name
Honorera walked out of the boutique dressed in one of the new outfits. She tugged at the shirt self-consciously, and Gabriel could tell that she was probably missing the bulk of her old gray hoodie. The clothes made her look older and more sophisticated and attracted more than one appreciative male glance in her direction. He gave them all a death glare that let all of them know that the girl was off-limits. After the boutique, Gabriel took her to a department store so that she could pick up the personal necessities she needed like a toothbrush, a hairbrush, and deodorant. He waited patiently while she spent a crazy amount of time smelling different shampoos before she picked out a brand that she liked. He realized that shopping was a luxury for her. Gabriel cleared his throat. "You should buy what you need for the next several weeks." She glanced at him quizzically and looked at the items in her handbasket. "This will last me for a month at least." Gabriel sighed and took he
"Hey sleeping beauty, wake up." Gabriel nudged her awake. "Mmm?" Honorera sat up in the bucket seat and rubbed her eyes. It was dark already, and they were in the parking lot of a restaurant. "Where are we?" "Pennsylvania. We will stop here for the night. I thought we'd get a bite to eat, and then head to the hotel." "Oh." Honorera bit her lip and couldn’t help but wonder if they would share a hotel room again. Would they sleep in the same bed? She didn’t know if the idea made her feel nervous, or excited. She had already shared the cottage with him in Pete's Peak, she had already passed several nights sleeping with Gabriel’s huge arm curled around her, and he’d always been a perfect gentleman. He came around to her side of the truck and opened the door. "Do you like Chinese food?" Her eyes widened. "I've never had Chinese food." "Never? Well, tonight you will try it. Hopefully, we can find something you like." He helped her out of the truck and kept his hand on th
Honorera came out of the bathroom, braced for the worst. Gabriel held up a black Speedo bathing suit, with the tags still attached. She stared at the suit, not understanding. "Wha...What?" "They sell some suits in the gift shop, but there isn't much selection. I hope it fits." She took the simple black suit and raised her eyebrows at him. "Really?" "Yeah really." He smiled and held up his own pair of brand new, wildly colored, Hawaiian print swim shorts that he had procured for himself. "Let's go swimming." Gabriel had thought he was too tired for a swim. He'd been driving all day, and his muscles were tired and stiff. All he wanted to do was crawl into bed, cuddle up to Honorera, and sleep. But he’d seen the way she had lit up at the idea of a swim in the indoor pool, and he couldn’t bear to disappoint her. Suddenly it seemed like his whole purpose in life was just to make this young woman happy. When she stepped out of the bathroom dressed in the black swimsuit, all t
Honorera shivered, half in fear, and half in excitement. She didn't even know what that meant, but it sounded intense. She wrapped a towel around herself, tucking the loose ends between her breasts before grabbing another to towel-dry her hair. She wrapped it around her head like a turban and escaped from the steamy bathroom and the impossibly tempting vision of Gabriel covered by only a scant length of terrycloth.She pawed through her newly purchased clothes but she had only the maroon baby doll nightgown to wear to sleep. She hadn't really had time to think about practical pajamas during their shopping spree. What would he think of her provocative night clothes? Would Gabriel think she was deliberately teasing him?Did she want to deliberately tease him?She put it on the skimpy negligee, and then looked at herself in the mirror that was mounted beside the closet door.Good lord, she thought, I look like a call-girl."Uh... Gabriel? Can I borrow a t-shirt to sleep in?" Her high and
Gabriel scooped her up and carried Honorera to the bed. He laid her down as if she was as fragile as glass. Then he knelt on the bed next to her and continued the kiss where he had left off, fully unleashing his passion. His hands pulled up her shirt so he could touch her bare, heated skin. She moaned and writhed underneath his touch, wanting more, needing more. Her hands tugged impatiently at his t-shirt, yanking it up until he obliged her and pulled it off over his head... before doing the same for her. Honorera was naked before him, in only her panties, since his over-size t-shirt was all she wore to bed most nights. He’d never seen anything more beautiful.He worshiped her body, kissing her neck, biting lightly at the tender junction of her neck and shoulder, before he turned his attention to her breasts. Her breasts were full, the dusky nipples pearled in the cool air. He kissed the soft flesh before drawing the nipple into his mouth, sucking lightly until she groaned a
Gabriel climbed the stairs, his shoulders stiff and sore with tension. He'd been working for weeks, digging through all his contacts, trying to find anything he could on Honorera, her family, her past, and the price on her head. But he'd made almost no progress. He traced Tanner and Kayla Lee back to a small pack in Ohio. Kayla Lee had been an almost invisible member of the pack, an obedient omega. When her brother was exiled, she went with him. Possibly she was forced by her brother to accompany him into no man's land. But somewhere along the way, they had parted.Todd would not reveal the owner of the contract, and King’s denied all knowledge of the mark. "It's not one of mine, Rico. When are you coming back to work? We need you man, the boys are getting sloppy without you."When he reached the top of the bedroom, he was surprised to be met by his mother. She was wrapped in her favorite tattered terrycloth bathrobe, but she was no less intimidating as she propped her han
Something was wrong. Honorera didn't know what it was, but Gabriel was different. He had a dark and stormy expression, and he was distracted all the time. She couldn’t help but ask herself, had she done something wrong? Or perhaps he had simply grown tired of her? Whatever the reason, she felt the change deeply and keenly, and it scared her. Whatever small progress she had made at being more confident shriveled away, and she felt herself shrinking back into her old shell. Gabriel still woke her early to train, and he trained her hard. She hated the weights, but she loved the kickboxing lessons. She thought she was getting stronger, but Gabriel gave her so little feedback, she couldn't tell if he approved. After breakfast, he often disappeared without much explanation. "Sorry love, I have some work to do," he would say, and he would take his laptop and phone and retreat into the study and close the door behind himself. Or he would kiss her forehead and pass her off to his
The tour moved on. There was a big meeting hall that the pack used for public events, a small private school for the pack children, a brightly painted playground, and a small medical clinic. Honorera was impressed. The pack was like a town all to itself. "How many are there of you?""We have about 200 adults, plus their children," he answered, and she was surprised. She had imagined a group of about 20 or so."And they are all able to shift?""Most of them."She would never have guessed there were so many supernatural beings in the world, let alone in one small town. She tried to imagine that her own mother had been a wolf, but she couldn't picture it. She'd seen old, faded, and creased photos of her mother in Tanner's room. Rachel Talbot looked like a small, mousey woman. Honorera’s mother didn't look capable of swatting a mosquito, let alone changing into a mythical creature.It was past lunchtime when the couple wandered back to the main house, but Elena had left them some s
Gabriel's father called him into the study. It was a classically masculine room, with dark paneling and shelves of antiquarian books that no one in living history had ever read. Gabriel sat in the chair across from the imposing desk and waited while his father seated himself, and steepled his hands in front of him. "Son, I know you've waited a long time to find this girl," he said carefully. Gabriel could only nod in agreement, while watching his father warily."I'm happy for you. There is no greater joy than finding your mate. But Gabe... you have to know, this girl is not fit to be your Luna."Gabriel stiffened, and his fingers tightened over the wooden arms of the chair. "What do you mean?""She is weak, in every way. physically, mentally, and emotionally... she is completely ignorant of our ways and our culture. She doesn't shift, she may not even have the inner wolf. How can such a broken girl be the caretaker of our pack?"Gabriel suppressed the urge to growl. Had it
Before she was quite ready to face Gabriel’s family, they had left the highway and driven deep into the hills. The forest closed around them, and the landscape became more and more rural until, at last, they pulled up in front of an ancient-looking brick house. It stood two stories and sprawled into two wings from the main building. Black shutters framed the windows, and Ivy was growing up the sides. Gabriel parked the truck and went around to help Honorera down from the passenger seat. Before her feet hit the ground, the front door of the house flew open, and people tumbled out. Honorera shivered in fear and hid behind Gabriel’s broad back. "Hello Mum," Gabriel held his arms out to his mother, but Elena simply brushed him aside. "I don't want you right now. Where is she?" Gabriel pulled Honorera out from behind him. "Honorera, this is my mom. Elena Shepherd." "Oooh!" Elena clasped her plump hands in front of her breast, "Aren't you just adorable! Gabriel, she's preciou
Honorera shivered, half in fear, and half in excitement. She didn't even know what that meant, but it sounded intense. She wrapped a towel around herself, tucking the loose ends between her breasts before grabbing another to towel-dry her hair. She wrapped it around her head like a turban and escaped from the steamy bathroom and the impossibly tempting vision of Gabriel covered by only a scant length of terrycloth.She pawed through her newly purchased clothes but she had only the maroon baby doll nightgown to wear to sleep. She hadn't really had time to think about practical pajamas during their shopping spree. What would he think of her provocative night clothes? Would Gabriel think she was deliberately teasing him?Did she want to deliberately tease him?She put it on the skimpy negligee, and then looked at herself in the mirror that was mounted beside the closet door.Good lord, she thought, I look like a call-girl."Uh... Gabriel? Can I borrow a t-shirt to sleep in?" Her high and
Honorera came out of the bathroom, braced for the worst. Gabriel held up a black Speedo bathing suit, with the tags still attached. She stared at the suit, not understanding. "Wha...What?" "They sell some suits in the gift shop, but there isn't much selection. I hope it fits." She took the simple black suit and raised her eyebrows at him. "Really?" "Yeah really." He smiled and held up his own pair of brand new, wildly colored, Hawaiian print swim shorts that he had procured for himself. "Let's go swimming." Gabriel had thought he was too tired for a swim. He'd been driving all day, and his muscles were tired and stiff. All he wanted to do was crawl into bed, cuddle up to Honorera, and sleep. But he’d seen the way she had lit up at the idea of a swim in the indoor pool, and he couldn’t bear to disappoint her. Suddenly it seemed like his whole purpose in life was just to make this young woman happy. When she stepped out of the bathroom dressed in the black swimsuit, all t
"Hey sleeping beauty, wake up." Gabriel nudged her awake. "Mmm?" Honorera sat up in the bucket seat and rubbed her eyes. It was dark already, and they were in the parking lot of a restaurant. "Where are we?" "Pennsylvania. We will stop here for the night. I thought we'd get a bite to eat, and then head to the hotel." "Oh." Honorera bit her lip and couldn’t help but wonder if they would share a hotel room again. Would they sleep in the same bed? She didn’t know if the idea made her feel nervous, or excited. She had already shared the cottage with him in Pete's Peak, she had already passed several nights sleeping with Gabriel’s huge arm curled around her, and he’d always been a perfect gentleman. He came around to her side of the truck and opened the door. "Do you like Chinese food?" Her eyes widened. "I've never had Chinese food." "Never? Well, tonight you will try it. Hopefully, we can find something you like." He helped her out of the truck and kept his hand on th